1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of parachute devices and most specifically to the field of gliding wing parachute configurations utilizing a plurality of longitudinally extending ram-air inflation cells to facilitate accurate control of movement of the gliding wing parachute. The present invention is particularly usable with deployment and inflation of large parachutes with a great number of ram-air inflation cells which can be used for carrying loads as heavy as 5,000 to 75,000 lbs. Such gliding wing devices can include as many as 27 individual inflation cells or more.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Examples of prior art controls for reefing of various types of parachutes are as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,929,589 patented Mar. 22, 1960 to W. M. Carter et al on a Parachute Disreefing Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,639, patented Apr. 12, 1966 to J. R. Mitchell on a Reefing Means For Parachutes; U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,547, patented Sept. 4, 1973 to S. L. Snyder et al on a Manually Released Refining Control; U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,844, patented July 9, 1974 to S. J. Sutton on a Parachute; U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,592, patented Mar. 23, 1976 to S. J. Sutton on an Air Reefing System; U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,079, patented Dec. 27, 1977 to C. J. Winchurch on a Parachute Reefing Device; U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,272, patented Dec. 12, 1978 to A. W. Jones et al on an Aerofoil Structure; U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,722, patented Nov. 27, 1979 to M. W. Higgins on a Control System For Ram Air Gliding Parachute; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,145, patented Sept. 10, 1985 to J. T. Matsuo on a Reefing System.